Foreshadow
by RitzBitz
Summary: Two children hold the key to the disappearance of an entire race.
1. Default Chapter

"Foreshadow"  
By RitzBitz Chapter 1  
  
"Huh."  
  
Ensign Hoshi Sato's voice came across the nearly deserted bridge of the Enterprise. It was night shift, and the only reason Hoshi was on the bridge at this late hour was to make up for time taken on her birthday.  
  
"What is it, Ensign?" Commander Arkin's tone was one of indifference. Hoshi could tell he was tired. Hell, it was 2:15 in the morning, who wouldn't be?  
"I'm picking up an interesting sub-space signal, sir," she relayed. "It seems to be coming from a ship, about two light-years away. I think it's a distress call."  
  
Commander Arkin walked over to the science station and scanned for life forms. "I'm not reading any bio-signs", he told Hoshi. "Maybe I should inform the Captain. Can you tell what the message says?"  
  
"It's pretty difficult to tell. But, I'm getting the impression there was a huge fight, and an overpowering enemy. If you will, sir, I'd like more time to find out what it says before we inform the Captain." She didn't want to drag him out of bed and have this turn out to be nothing.  
  
"Proceed, Ensign."  
  
* * *  
  
"Come inside, children!" A shrill voice echoed throughout the courtyard. Mistress Kolir called the children inside at dinnertime everyday, but today a cold rain had started to fall, and the sky had darkened very quickly, so she called them in early. She looked up at the black clouds and shivered, hurrying the children again.  
  
At the Institute for troubled children where she worked, Mistress Kolir was in charge of the children under the age of 10 years. She watched passively as the 21 in her care all came scurrying across the pebbled courtyard to the large double doors that led inside. For the most part, the children here had undergone some tragedy, and had been deemed unfit by the government to stay in the public schools on Garel, her planet. She cared for each of them dearly, and worried about them all. Especially her two newest students.  
  
Mattaya and Neera hung to the back of the crowd going inside. They had come the Institute about a fortnight before, and still kept to themselves for the most part.  
  
"Hurry up, Matt! I want to get a good seat in the banquet hall!" Mattaya's younger sister was only 4, but she had already mastered their language and refused to keep quiet, like he told her. Now the teachers in the Institute had deemed her "a genius".  
  
"I'm coming," grumbled the sullen 10 year old. He himself would be also labeled as such if he wasn't careful. They had to keep a low profile.  
  
The two children hurried after their counterparts into the Hall and out to the washrooms. When dinner was ready, the 143 students and teachers all sat down to eat. Mattaya and Neera sat by themselves at the end of one of the long tables, talking in hushed voices.  
  
"Tonight we leave," Matt told his sister. "Jeral and Hinus are coming, too."  
  
"I don't want to go!" Matt shoved his hand over her mouth, which she proceeded to lick.  
  
"Ew, Nee!" He wiped his hand on his tunic. "You have to keep it down! You want us to get caught?" She shook her head. "Then hush. We have to go tonight, something big is going to happen, it's the perfect distraction. Make sure you have what you need ready to go."  
  
"What about the birds? Can we take them?"  
  
"We'll take some. I'll contact you over the communicator; you had better be ready!" He stood and carried his dish over to be cleaned, and then headed out to his dorm with the rest of the students. Dinner was over.  
  
* * *  
  
"Well, Ensign?" Captain Archer was on duty now, and he took the PADD from Hoshi. She had stayed after her shift was up to completely decode the message.  
  
"As far as I can tell, sir, it's a distress call. Apparently the engines were knocked out by enemy fire, then the ship was boarded. They were overpowered." She paused a bit, then resumed, "The transmission says something like, 'we cannot fight a god', if that makes any sense. I have the coordinates ready, sir."  
  
"Do we know anything about this race? Do we know who they are?"  
  
"Yes, sir. They are called the 'Garelians'. I have no name for the enemy they fought other than how the Garelians referred to them; Ekon."  
  
T'Pol looked up at the Ensign. "In Vulcan, 'Ekon' refers to a god or deity." Hoshi nodded; she knew that and found it very interesting that the words were the same in both languages.  
  
Archer read over the PADD again, and looked up at Hoshi. "Give the coordinates to Travis, Hoshi." She nodded and sent the coordinates to the helm. They were underway in less than five minutes.  
  
* * *  
  
"C'mon!" Mattaya's urgent whisper fell on the ears of the three other runaway students. They were entering a dark tunnel leading out of the school. Jeral, Hinus, Neera, and Mattaya were each carrying a bird cage; they collectively had rescued about a dozen of the birds from the Aviary. At the Institute, the birds were used to indicate to miners whether or not poisonous gases had leaked into the mines. Neera was appalled by this thought, and had convinced Mattaya to let her rescue some.  
  
Outside, the sky was black as pitch, and the children turned on the flashlights attached on their arms. Mattaya gestured that they should head left. They ran until they reached the perimeter fence, designed to keep trespassers out, not runaways in. Once through the fence, the children headed for the mines beyond the river. They were breathing heavily by the time they reached their hideout.  
  
"How is it we didn't get caught," asked Jeral as he took out a blanket and wrapped himself up. The 8-year-old was very thin and always cold. He and Hinus were the only friends Matt and Nee had made at the school.  
  
"I heard the adults talking about an accident on one of the mining transports in space. They kept saying 'we're next', stuff like that. Then today at morning exercises, I heard Master Kopek say 'it's tonight, then.' I knew we could escape if everyone was distracted, which you have to admit, they have been."  
  
Neera, Jeral, and Hinus all nodded. Suddenly there were explosions in the distance. It sounded as if the world was coming apart. The children crowded around the mine entrance and gasped in horror.  
  
* * *  
  
Captain Archer, Hoshi, T'Pol, and Malcolm Reed all had to stay in Decon for little over an hour. When Dr. Phlox was certain they were free of any contaminants, they gathered with the Trip and Travis in the Situation Room.  
  
"Malcolm, will you put in the data file we found on the ship?"  
  
"Aye, sir." The Lieutenant inserted the data file and on the screen came a map of the surrounding space. "Here's what we know so far. This ship was a hauler, shipping minerals from a planet called Garel. The vessel was intercepted by another ship that disabled their engines, life support, and weapons. Before they could take offensive action, the ship was boarded, and all crew members, we assume, were taken aboard the other craft."  
  
"Could they be alive still?" Trip directed his question at the Captain, who looked at T'Pol.  
  
"It is logical to assume that that is correct; otherwise, why take the crew aboard?"  
  
"It could be they were trying to cover something up, if the Garelians are dead. Perhaps they took the crew to hide how they died." This came from Travis.  
  
There was a silence.  
  
"We can't know until we investigate. Malcolm has recovered a map, apparently of the home planet Garel. We'll set our course for it, Travis."  
  
"Aye, sir." With that, the senior officers went back to their stations, and the Captain ushered T'Pol into the ready room.  
  
Archer sat down at his desk to send a message to Starfleet. He looked up at T'Pol, who was standing, but took a seat when the Captain gestured. They sat in silence for a few moments waiting for Archer's transmission to connect to Admiral Forest.  
  
"Do you really think they're still alive?" Archer asked her quietly.  
  
"It is possible, Captain. Although Ensign Mayweather does have a point, it is far more likely the Garelians have been taken alive." She paused. "Captain, I am not entirely sure what you plan to do."  
  
He regarded her for a moment. "I'm not either, T'Pol." He shook his head. "I'm not either."  
  
* * *  
  
Captain Archer sat in his chair, watching the view screen. It had been nearly a week since Hoshi had detected the Garel transmission. It had taken that long to convince the Admiral, not to mention the Vulcans, to carry on with the mission. The planet Garel was in range, but so far no one was responding to any hails.  
  
"Captain, I am reading buildings and structures as if this planet was inhabited, but very few bio-signs. It is as if Garel has been abandoned." T'Pol looked at him and he knew she wanted to go with him to the planet.  
  
"Very well, Sub-Commander. Trip, you have the bridge. T'Pol you're with me. Let's find out what happened down there." They headed into the turbo-lift, and then to the shuttle bay.  
  
"T'Pol, how many life signs did you detect?"  
  
"Four."  
  
"Let's go find them." 


	2. 2

* * *  
  
"This way, Captain!" T'Pol had just pointed out that there were only three life signs left, and the third was fading fast. "Perhaps we should run." She had to shout over the wind that blew faster around them.  
  
Archer smiled. "Okay, T'Pol, let's see what you've got." He set off at a fast pace, daring her to catch him. T'Pol simply raised an eyebrow, put her scanner away, and followed him.  
  
The two ran side by side for about 10 minutes, both frequently increasing their pace to stay ahead of the other. Archer was panting, but refused to let T'Pol outlast him. On they ran.  
  
It wasn't long afterward that the mountains came up on them. With a look at Archer, T'Pol stopped. "I am detecting the life signs just up ahead." She paused.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"There are only two left. There is something else, Captain. These life signs that I am reading..they appear to be children."  
  
He looked grave, then said, "Come on."  
  
They moved forward through the heavy air that felt increasingly like rain was coming. Presently, an opening in the rock face became visible, and Captain Archer motioned to it. Cautiously, they advanced. At the mouth of the cave, both hesitated, peering inside. "I am no longer detecting any bio-signs, Captain. In fact, I am no longer detecting anything. It appears that this environment is affecting the scanners. It is logical to assume that our communicators are affected as well."  
  
"Great. I guess we'll have to go in and have a look around-"  
  
Just then, something knocked Archer over. T'Pol, with her lighting- quick reflexes, turned around in time to stop the second blow from coming. That was the last thing Archer saw before passing out.  
  
* * *  
"I didn't think I hit him that hard."  
  
"Indeed." He knew that voice. That was the only thing clear to him. He had to get to that voice. Why can't I see that voice?  
  
"I think he's coming around."  
  
"Captain... Captain Archer. Can you hear me?"  
  
"Ugh.my head hurts."  
  
T'Pol looked at the assailant. "That is understandable."  
  
Archer did his best to sit up, but T'Pol had to put her hand around his elbow to help him. She's so strong. "What the hell happened?"  
  
"You were attacked. I have since explained to our young assailant that we are no threat to him."  
  
"Young? There was nothing young about that knock to the back of the head." Archer saw his attacker for the first time. "You hit me?"  
  
The boy nodded. He couldn't be more than eleven, and he didn't look that strong. On the contrary, the boy looked as if he hadn't eaten in a while, and his dirty face and hair gave him the appearance of a poor beggar child. "What's your name?" he asked.  
  
"I am Captain Jonathan Archer, of the Earth vessel Enterprise. This is my First Officer, Sub-Commander T'Pol, of Vulcan." A light shone in the boy's eyes for the first time.  
  
"Vulcan? I have to study Vulcan in school. 'Ragel-tor mihrsh-bosh du.'" T'Pol did not understand what he said at first, but then realized his general meaning.  
  
"I do not know if I would say it is amusing to meet you, but I appreciate your attempt at Vulcan. What is your name?"  
  
"Mattaya, but most people call me Matt." He turned suddenly, as if remembering something. "Neera! Come on!" He turned back. "She's hiding."  
  
Slowly, carefully, a little girl came out of an outcropping in the cave wall. She ran to stand at Mattaya's side, but stayed behind him. "Say hello," he told her. The little girl looked only slightly better than the boy, though much younger.  
  
"T'nar pak sorat y'rani," she said quietly, so that Archer could barely hear. T'Pol seemed to hear her just fine.  
  
"T'nar jaral. I must admit to surprise; you all speak Vulcan well, for children not brought up on Vulcan. Where did you learn it?"  
  
"All Garelians are brought up with some Vulcan. Neera's better at it than I am." Now he turned to Archer, who appeared to be fine now. "I apologize for hitting you. We thought you were them."  
  
The little girl spoke up again, hatred in her voice, "I bet you are! You've come to finish us off, haven't you! I hate you!!" She ran up to T'Pol and began to swing her tiny fists at the Vulcan's legs. T'Pol glanced up at Archer before picking the small child up, kicking and screaming all the time. Mattaya ran up to her, begging her to stop. The child was acting completely different than she had been a few seconds ago.  
  
"It's not them, Nee, they're friends! Please stop!" But the child would not be calmed. T'Pol showed supreme patience, simply holding the child until she had exhausted herself, tears drying on her face.  
  
"Captain, we should take these children back to the ship immediately. I am sensing a sickness of some kind in the girl." He nodded, and led the party back out of the cave, into the now harsh wind. They made their way back to the shuttle-pod.  
  
* * *  
  
"Well, Captain", said Dr. Phlox in Sickbay. "It appears that the children are both suffering from some kind of radiation sickness. They will need to stay here while I run some more tests."  
  
"Is it serious?"  
  
"I believe that you we're 'just in time' to save them, Captain. I will contact you when they are cleared to leave Sickbay."  
  
"Thank you, Doctor," said T'Pol. He nodded.  
  
Captain Archer and T'Pol left Sickbay, talking in the corridors to the bridge. "I'd like to know what happened to all those people on that planet. And who was that boy talking about, 'it's not them'?"  
  
T'Pol nodded. "It is likely that the population on the surface shared the same fate as that of the ship we encountered. Perhaps our scans can reveal more to us."  
  
It was Archer's turn to nod. He looked at his Science Officer as they continued down the hallway. In her white away uniform, she looked more beautiful and exotic than ever. He smiled, and it did not go unnoticed by T'Pol, who looked up at him, just as he looked away. "I was thinking the same thing." They walked in silence a few minutes, then entered the turbo-lift.  
  
"Captain, it is foreseeable that whomever is responsible for the disappearance or death of these people will be a formidable enemy. Perhaps one of us should speak to Lieutenant Reed about security measures."  
  
Again, he smiled at her, "Good idea. I'll let you handle that one, Sub-Commander. We'll work separately today, then meet for dinner at 1800 hours, sound good?" She rose her eyebrow in acquiescence. "Excellent, it's a date, then." Before she could protest, the door opened and he stepped out on the Bridge. T'Pol simply shook her head. Humans. "Computer: Armory."  
  
* * * 


End file.
